One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. —-Virginia Woolf

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Day 2 of 3 Stockholm: The National Museum and other good stuff

I was able to join Scott Babe at his work dinner at Oasia last night. We had the cellar to ourselves. I met new-hire, Stefan, and told him what I had planned for the next two days in Stockholm. He recommended Sturekatten (translation: strong cats?) because I love cafes so much. (He didn't know that I love kitty cats, too!) Stefan also encouraged me to try to find the Medieval Museum again. His tip was that it was under the bridge I was on.

Here is the map Stefan drew of Sturekatten for me. Mushroom? What mushroom? :-)

After taking the commuter train into Stockholm, I took the red line subway 1 stop to Östermalmstorg, a square in Östermalm.

I believe this was the "mushroom" landmark Stefan was referring to. :-) The Church of Hedvig Eleonora was built in 1737 and is named after the Swedish Queen Hedvig Eleonora (1636-1715), wife of King Charles X of Sweden.

The Stockholm Music Museum. This building used to be the Crown Bakery, dates from the 17th century, and is Stockholm’s oldest industrial building. This building has a long and eventful history and has, through the centuries, performed a number of functions: bakery, weapon depot, spirits store. Yet, almost all the time—from the 1640s to 1958—it has been a bakery for the armed forces in Stockholm.

Such a pretty space. Too bad its too cold outside.

I like that the arrow is universal. I just follow it. :-)

Wienerbröd (Danish pastry with custard)

The dollar isn't good right now. The cappuccino was $5.65 and the pastry was $3.57. I may only be in Sweden once so I was ok with this. ♥

Time to find The National Museum, but first I see a good shopping on Birger Jarlsgatan (one of the longest streets in Stockholm).

Kosta Boda's Flagship store

I'm a fan of dishes, glassware, silverware—all things found in the kitchen & dining room. Scott brought me back pretty pink Kosta Boda bowls (shown on shelf in left picture) on a trip 5 years ago (before he realized they were available at Macy's!). I have been a fan of KB ever since. When I snapped this photo on the right, the girl standing in background came up to me and I thought, "Uh oh, I'm in trouble for taking pictures!!" Far from it. She was SO NICE to me and shared with me the history of Kosta Boda. It began in 1742, in the village of Kosta, in a dense forest of southern Sweden. (Ultimately merging glass-work communities of Kosta, Boda and Åfors.)

Louis Vuitton, KB Restaurant, Maruschka de Margó boutique.KB has an interesting art history. Click here for more details.

The Royal Dramatic Theatre

Hotel Diplomat and T/Bar. By this point, I have looked at my map again and realize that I'm going in the wrong direction for the National Museum. I should have just listened to myself. Instead, I make the mistake of asking some random guy if he knew where it was. He said, "Yes." and pointed to a gorgeous building up ahead and over the bridge. Gorgeous building. You could see it from here.

Strandvägen (Swedish for "Beach Road")

The boulevard was completed just in time for the Stockholm World's Fair 1897

I crossed Strandvägen to walk along the water. When I took this picture, I thought that was the National Museum. It isn't. That's the Nordic Museum. But if I wasn't going the wrong way, I wouldn't have gotten these photos!

If this place was open and it was warm outside, I would have taken a rest here. :-)

Gorgeous view from the Djurgårdsbron

And another pretty picture from the bridge.

It's at this point that I get out my travel book to make sure that building after the bridge is in fact the National Museum. When I confirm that it isn't, I ask a jogger how to get to the National Museum. He pointed and said that it was 500 meters away. I thanked him and for the next 5 minutes, I kept asking myself, "How many feet is that???" and "Where is Scott Babe when I need him!" hehe. As I write this post, I can now tell you how wrong this jogger was!!! He did point me in the right direction, but it wasn't a 500-meter walk. It was a 1609-meter walk and that equals 1 mile!

I was reluctant to post this picture of my lunch because it looks disgusting. But you know what? It was actually very good. (fish and potatoes.)

Surprisingly, I didn't get dessert here. I got my sugar calories at the next stop. ♥

Södra Blasieholmshamnen road. Construction galore.

The workers got a kick out of me taking this photo.

Time for a fancy cocktail at the Cadier Bar in the Grand Hotel.

Sans the construction, a breathtakingly beautiful view of the harbor.

Down to business:

The atrium was filled; I chose a couch next to the bar.

I chose the first spring libation listed in the drink book: Sparkling Spring Punch (Ketel One vodka, Kivik's Cider, strawberries, cucumber, lime juice). Where is my girlfriend, Wendy, when I need her? I kept thinking of her and how much fun we would have if she was by my side! And which strong drink would she order? I loved my punch and certainly would have had a second if I hadn't anything else planned for the day!

I had the Medieval Museum on my brain because I knew it was close by. Let's try this again. I asked my waiter and he checked with the concierge for me because the last time he was there was in grade school. The concierge was kind of enough to circle it on a map for me.

The red circle is where I am and the Medieval Museum is circled . I can do this! But doesn't this look overwhelming? Islands make everything look BIG. Reader, this was a 5 minute walk.

One last shot of The Grand Hotel

Bingo! I found the Medieval Museum. FYI - this sign wasn't big:

I walked down stairs for the entrance:

A snippet of the Palace from the Museum.

I'm surprised that I didn't get the year of these shoes! Let's just say they are very, very old!

Letter from 1252 - earliest evidence for the name "Stockholm." A letter of patronage for Fogdo Abbey, dated in Stockholm, July 1252. Sealed by King Valdemar and by his father, Birger Jarl, the regent at that time and founder of the town.

Time to find the subway to get to the island of Södermalm.

Urban Coffee on Drottninggatan

Sergel's Square in central Stockholm

I took the subway two stops south to Slussen on the island of Södermalm:

Scott and I, along with his colleagues head to Kött Kök & Bar. Scott has been here several times and I couldn't wait to try it. Please note that the interesting pronunciation of Kött Kök & Bar is shut, shuck, och bar. (Meat, Kitchen and Bar)

Scott Babe bundled up and walking by a Lamborghini. Gosh, can I trade in my 1990 Toyota for something like this?:-)